Good managers can hear difficult things and stay grounded

Here are seven harsh truths about management that will help you hone your gaze onto what truly matters:

1. It's not about you anymore. When you become a manager (or leader of any kind), it means it's not about you anymore. You are no longer responsible only for what you produce. Your success, rather, derives from how well your team performs. Your job, therefore, is to support, protect and motivate your team--as individuals and as a unit.